Georgia PH week [Dec. 15, 2014]

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DPH Runners Don Their Holiday Gear for the
Jingle Bell Walk/Run

Between the reindeer head gear, Santa Claus get-ups and elf ears, you may not have realized the people running through downtown Atlanta this past weekend were not in a Christmas parade - they were participating in a 5K race organized by the Arthritis Foundation.

Headquartered in Atlanta, the Arthritis

In This Issue

Foundation helps people take control of arthritis by providing public health

DPH Runners Don Their Holiday Gear for the Jingle Bell Walk/Run

education, pursuing public policy and legislation, and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for

Celebrate Responsibly: DPH those living with arthritis. The organization

Encourages Safe Alcohol

is also the largest private, non-profit

Consumption this Holiday Season contributor to arthritis research in the

The Flu Clinic Goes Mobile: Cobb world, funding more than $450 million in & Douglas Public Health Offers research grants since 1948.

Abby Parker, an 8-year-old from Woodstock, Georgia living with juvenile arthritis, was

On-Site Flu Vaccine Appointments 'Tis the Season for Giving: How to

appointed this year's Jingle Bell Walk/Run youth honoree.

Know If a Charity if Legitimate
DPH Safety Experts Offer Tips on Celebrate Responsibly: DPH Encourages Safe

Keeping Warm Inside While It's Cold Outside

Alcohol Consumption this Holiday Season

App of the Week: MedSimple

With the winter holidays

PHEVENTS

right around the corner, it is a time of year for

Looking for DPH events? Visit the Events Schedule

festive celebrations that often include a variety of flavorful alcoholic

on our website.

beverages.

PHTRAINING
Two for Tuesdays
Join the Office of Human Resources on the second Tuesday of each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. for the
learning series Two for Tuesdays. This series provides an opportunity for
programs to explore new ideas, share knowledge and highlight teams and their work. To learn more about the training and to register, click here.
Check out Saba for these January Courses

When consumed in moderation, some types of alcohol have been shown to be associated with some reductions in health risks and in some studies, even improve cardiovascular health. On the contrary, alcohol can be responsible for motor vehicle crashes, domestic and sexual violence, and chronic disease when consumed in excess.

Excessive alcohol use costs Georgia $6.3 billion annually. DPH urges Georgians to use alcohol responsibly to protect yourself and those
around you this holiday season.

Crucial Conversations Tues., Jan. 6
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Two for Tuesday - Emergency Preparedness Tues., Jan. 13
11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

The Flu Clinic Goes Mobile: Cobb & Douglas Public Health Offers On-Site Flu Vaccine Appointments

Manager Fundamentals for Success Tues. - Weds., Jan. 20 - 21 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
True Colors: Discovering Your Personal Best
Tues., Jan. 27 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Procurement Services: Navigating the Process
Weds., Jan. 28 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Computer Training (Instructor-Led)
Access Basics Tues., Jan. 6 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Access Intermediate Queries Thurs., Jan. 8
1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Access Form & Report Design Tues., Jan. 13
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The onset of this year's flu season was met with a series of alarming news for families in Georgia.

More than 90 percent of

influenza specimens

tested nationwide are

Influenza A H3N2 (H3N2),

according to nationwide

flu tests. Seasons when

H3N2 is the dominant flu

strain tend to have

higher rates of hospitalization and deaths due to flu-related health complications.

Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) is offering a convenient flu shot option by taking its flu clinic on the road. Businesses and community
events can now book flu vaccine appointments through the CDPH mobile clinic for groups of 20 or more people.

Furthermore, half of the

H3N2 viruses found this flu season don't match the vaccine produced for the 2014-

2015 season, indicating that the virus has changed since the vaccine was formulated.

Access Tables & Database Design Tues., Jan. 27
9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Access Advanced Queries Thurs., Jan. 29
2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. __________
For employees not at 2 Peachtree, classes can be attended remotely; however, remote attendees must be
registered 48 hours prior to class. Register for all classes through SABA (2 Peachtree attendees register
for "Instructor-Led" and remote attendees register for "Virtual" classes). View monthly training calendars on PHIL. Contact Lisa Miller
if you have questions.
Look for Access classes in January.
Free Online Courses Available from Lynda.com
DPH has a limited number of licenses for lynda.com which is an online library
of high-quality, easy-to-use instructional videos on the latest software, creative and business skills. Licenses are available for check out on a first come, first served basis. To check out a license, simply email Lisa Miller from your Public Health email
account.
Submit calendar entries to communications@dph.ga.gov
by 12 noon on Wednesday.
PHNEWS

'Tis the Season for Giving: How to Know If a Charity if Legitimate

'Tis the season to make plans for gift giving and charitable contributions.

With the holidays coming, the opportunity to donate to notable charities and heart-warming causes are plentiful. There are more than 1.4 million nonprofit organizations in the United States, including public charities and private foundations according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics.

Before you compile a list

of charities you'd like to

support this holiday

season, you should learn

how to determine if your

charity of choice is

legitimate. Far too many

generous people, old and

The holiday season is always a great time to support charities

young, fall prey to individuals and organizations that

advocating for causes important to you. By following simple precautionary actions, you can protect yourself from potential scams
and ensure those in need benefit from your donation.

misrepresent their

intentions for your financial donations.

Dallas Physician in Nation's First Ebola Case Acknowledges Errors
in Treatment
CDC Warns Flu Season Could Be Severe
Got a Minute? Let's Work Out

DPH Safety Experts Offer Tips on Keeping Warm Inside While It's Cold Outside
Winter can be a beautiful time of year.

Better worry about shingles. It hurts. And vaccination may help
Georgia Department of Public Health develops a Hepatitis C Testing Toolkit for Primary Care ...
Text Messages Remind People to Take Medications
New HPV Vaccine Broadens Cancer Protection
PHRECIPE

Snow-capped mountain

tops, landscapes

peppered with fallen

leaves and lakes sitting

still as if they were frozen

in time make for the

picture-perfect

wintertime scene.

Although some of us fair

better in cold weather,

low temperatures that

force us to enjoy the

winter in the comforts of

our own home can cause

unforeseen health risks.

Each year, thousands of Americans are impacted by foodborne

illnesses. With proper food handling and preparation, citizens can

Each year, fires that occur during the holiday

greatly reduce the chances of contracting a food-related illness during this year's holiday season.

or winter season are some

of the most devastating

disasters to impact families, causing deaths and costing thousands of dollars in

property damage and health care costs.

Tortilla Scramble Serves: 4
Prep Time: 25 min Click Here for Full Recipe
PHWEEK

App of the Week: MedSimple
Sometimes remembering to take your medication each day can be difficult. It may also be challenging to remember how your doctor instructed you to take it. MedSimple can help make that easier for you with a free medication reminder application and other features.

Editor Ebony Brooks
Content Coordinator Connie F. Smith-Lindsey

With MedSimple, you can find generic versions of brand-name meds that can save you money each month and access the MedSimple Drug Discount Card!

Graphic Designer Web Developer Jimmy Clanton, Jr.

Editorial & Design Team Tammy Beasley Eric Jens Nancy Nydam Sandra Roberts
Georgia Public Health Observances | December 2014

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